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bbc.com
Pay growth at lowest rate in more than five years
Annual earnings grew at an annual rate of 3.8% in the November to January period, the Office for National Statistics says.
theguardian.com
Bank of England expected to leave interest rates on hold as Middle East crisis drives up oil and gas prices – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsFed holds interest rates steady as Iran war drives up oil prices and inflation fearsMiddle East crisis live: Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ entire South Pars gasfield if Iran strikes QatarThe oil price is rising rapidly again today, adding to the headache facing central bankers.Brent crude is up 5.9% at $113.76 a barrel, as tensions escalate in the Middle East.“Expectations for UK interest rates have shifted materially in recent weeks, with markets now anticipating that the Bank of England will hold rates in March, keeping rates at 3.75%, despite previously pricing in a cut.The primary driver has been the rise in oil and gas prices linked to the Iran conflict, which has pushed inflation risks higher. This creates a difficult backdrop for both policymakers and investors. In fixed income markets, UK government bonds have already come under pressure at times, with yields rising as rate‑cut expectations have been pared back and, more recently, partly restored. Shorter‑dated bonds are now reflecting a more uncertain path for policy rather than a straightforward easing cycle. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Asia tech stocks sink as oil spike and Qatar attacks threaten chip supply chain
Asian technology stocks fell on Thursday as Iran's latest attacks on Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City and a surge in oil prices rattled investor sentiment.
theguardian.com
What will happen when the £100 contactless card limit is scrapped?
Watchdog says banks will be able to respond to changing consumer demands, inflation and new technology The limit on contactless spending with a credit or debit card has been scrapped , and banks will be allowed to set their own restrictions.The City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), said the move would allow banks to respond to changing consumer demands, inflation and new technology. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Asia markets track Wall Street losses as Iran war fuels energy worries; BOJ hold rates
Investors in Asia will look toward the Bank of Japan decision, which is expected to hold rates at 0.75%.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Iran vows 'eye-for-eye' in energy attack escalation
A major escalation in attacks on energy infrastructure during the Iran war has sent oil prices higher and global stocks back into the red.
cnbc.com
Trump warns to 'blow up' South Pars gas field in Iran if strikes against Qatar energy continue
World leaders are scrambling to contain a spiraling Middle East conflict on Thursday after Israel and Iran traded strikes on gas production facilities.
cnbc.com
Bank of Japan keeps rates steady as expected, warns Iran war may push up inflation
The Bank of Japan kept its rates steady at 0.75% as expected, but noted that inflation risks now are tilted to the upside due to the Iran war.
cnbc.com
European markets set to slump at the open as Iran war intensifies
European stocks are expected to slump at the open on Thursday as the Iran war escalates following attacks on Iranian and Qatari energy infrastructure.
bbc.com
Camden pregnancy payment to continue after trial
The scheme provides £500 to support low-income families welcoming a new baby in the London borough.
bbc.com
'Our heating oil's doubled in price in two weeks'
Lawrence Salvoni worries not only about the price he has to pay, but the security of his supply.
cnbc.com
Chip buyers in Europe are paying more and tapping backup stores as Iran war hits air freight
The Iran war has caused turmoil to cargo routes through the Middle East, as shipping and airports have been targeted.
cnbc.com
Europe's central banks are no longer in a 'good place' as Iran war upends forecasts
The war in Iran has upset the economic equilibrium Europe threatening energy supplies, growth and the outlook for consumer prices, upsetting economic forecasts.
theguardian.com
‘Alright mate?’: Amazon pins UK hopes on AI upgrade of Alexa
Long-awaited Alexa+ aims to get Britons re-engaging with their devices – but it may have its work cut out“Commiserations, mate, Chelsea lost 3-0 in the Champions League last night against Paris Saint-Germain,” says Alexa as it attempts to break the news gently to an awaiting Blues fan. Such is the injection of personality and understanding that Amazon hopes will lead to Britons re-engaging with their millions of Alexa devices, restoring it to the cutting edge of voice assistants rather than resigned to being a glorified egg timer.After its early access launch last year in the US, the long-awaited generative AI upgrade Alexa+ is finally making its debut in the UK, supporting eight years of existing devices strewn through more than half of UK households. With the UK being Amazon’s most engaged market and more than 40 accents to contend with across the UK and Ireland, the “next-generation ambient AI assistant” has its work cut out for it. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Night buses will run to every Greater Manchester borough as Bee Network expands
Changes revealed by Andy Burnham to support night-time economy follow rapid growth in ridershipNight buses will run to every borough in Greater Manchester as the city region expands its publicly controlled Bee Network.The mayor, Andy Burnham, announced a number of new services alongside figures showing rapid growth in ridership since buses were taken back under public control in 2023. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Japan rejects U.S. intel assessment that Takaichi's Taiwan remarks represent 'significant shift'
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters "A significant policy shift is not something that is happening right now."
theguardian.com
Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ all of Iran’s South Pars gasfield if Tehran strikes Qatar
US president claims Israel will not attack South Pars again – but threatens to destroy ‘extremely important and valuable’ site if Iran continues to attack gas facilities in QatarMiddle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump threatened to “massively blow up” the world’s largest gasfield after Israeli strikes on the Iranian site prompted Tehran to step up attacks on energy facilities across the Middle East.Israel’s decision to target the South Pars gasfield on Wednesday marked a major escalation of the war, heightening fears of significant disruption to international energy supplies. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
HDFC Bank shares fall 5% as part-time chair of India’s largest private bank resigns over 'ethics'
Interim part‑time chairman, Keki Mistry, said that Atanu Chakraborty, had not provided the board with any evidence or details of the alleged unethical practices.
cnbc.com
Brent jumps over 4% as Iranian retaliatory strikes on Qatar’s key energy facility stoke supply worries
Oil prices jumped as markets react to escalating tensions after Qatar said Iranian missile strikes damaged a key liquefied natural gas export facility.
theguardian.com
Inside China’s robotics revolution
How close are we to the sci-fi vision of autonomous humanoid robots? I visited 11 companies in five Chinese cities to find out Chen Liang, the founder of Guchi Robotics, an automation company headquartered in Shanghai, is a tall, heavy-set man in his mid-40s with square-rimmed glasses. His everyday manner is calm and understated, but when he is in his element – up close with the technology he builds, or in business meetings discussing the imminent replacement of human workers by robots – he wears an exuberant smile that brings to mind an intern on his first day at his dream job. Guchi makes the machines that install wheels, dashboards and windows for many of the top Chinese car brands, including BYD and Nio. He took the name from the Chinese word guzhi, “steadfast intelligence”, though the fact that it sounded like an Italian luxury brand was not entirely unwelcome.For the better part of two decades, Chen has tried to solve what, to him, is an engineering problem: how to eliminate – or, in his view, liberate – as many workers in car factories as technologically possible. Late last year, I visited him at Guchi headquarters on the western outskirts of Shanghai. Next to the head office are several warehouses where Guchi’s engineers tinker with robots to fit the specifications of their customers. Chen, an engineer by training, founded Guchi in 2019 with the aim of tackling the hardest automation task in the car factory: “final assembly”, the last leg of production, when all the composite pieces – the dashboard, windows, wheels and seat cushions – come together. At present, his robots can mount wheels, dashboards and windows on to a car without any human intervention, but 80% of the final assembly, he estimates, has yet to be automated. That is what Chen has set his sights on. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘We don’t tell the car what it should do’: my ride in a self-driving taxi
Driverless ‘robotaxis’ will be accepting fares in Britain’s biggest city by the end of next year. Can they deal with London’s medieval roads, hordes of pedestrians and errant ebikers? I got in the passenger seat to find out‘I’m really excited to show you this,” says Alex Kendall, the CEO of Wayve, as he gets behind the wheel of one of the company’s electric Ford Mustangs. Then he does … nothing. The car pulls up to a junction at a busy road in King’s Cross, London, all by itself. “You can see that it’s going to control the speed, steering, brake, indicators,” he says to me – I’m in the passenger seat. “It’s making decisions as it goes. Here we’ve got an unprotected turn, where we’ve got to wait for a gap in traffic …” The steering wheel spins by itself and the car pulls out smoothly.Riding in a self-driving car for the first time is a little like your first flight in an aeroplane: borderline terrifying for a few seconds, then reassuringly unremarkable. At least, that is my experience. By the time I step out, 20 minutes later, I’m convinced Wayve is a better driver than most humans – better than me, anyway. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK banks keep £100 limit for contactless card payments despite FCA scrapping it
Banking lobby group says lenders are holding off changes as there is no widespread consumer demand for nowExplainer: What will happen when the £100 limit is scrapped?Shoppers will not be able to splash unlimited amounts on contactless cards despite the lifting of a £100 cap on payments as Britain’s banks held off on making changes.The official limit on individual contactless transactions on credit and debit cards has been scrapped but the UK’s biggest high street and challenger banks have kept the £100 ceiling in place. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Inside India newsletter: Gold loans are thriving in India — and attracting global investors
Gold-backed lending, a billion-dollar industry, is reshaping India’s retail credit landscape and drawing global investors to the sector.
cnbc.com
Fed votes to hold rates steady, notes 'uncertain' impacts from Iran war
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday released its decision in interest rates.
bbc.com
Oil crosses $110 a barrel after gas field strike
Iran's military warned it would take "decisive action" in response to the strike on its energy infrastructure.
cnbc.com
How China is getting everyone on OpenClaw, from gearheads to grandmas
China's OpenClaw use is soaring as tech giants hold meet-ups to help everyone add the artificial intelligence digital assistant to their devices.
bbc.com
How Finnish supermarkets are central to the country's defence
The chains all have detailed plans to follow in the event of the nation going to war.
bbc.com
Impact of Iran war expected to bring hold in interest rates
Before the conflict began, analysts had expected a cut in the Bank rate at this meeting.
bbc.com
UK sets target to boost steel making and cut imports
Up to half of steel used in Britain should be made there, the government says, as it announces its steel strategy.
theguardian.com
UK to double steel tariffs to 50% to save plants from collapse
Business secretary announces new ‘steel safeguards’ during visit to Tata’s Port Talbot plantThe UK is to double tariffs on Chinese and other foreign steel in a bid to save its remaining plants from collapse.The new “steel safeguards” came weeks after bosses at Tata Steel in south Wales warned the government they had just two months to be saved. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Ban corporate donations to UK political parties to protect elections, says thinktank
CenTax warns bill under debate in parliament has ‘easily exploitable’ loopholes and will not prevent foreign interferencePolitical donations by companies should be banned to protect UK elections from foreign interference, a thinktank has warned.In the first big overhaul of election funding in 26 years, ministers have pledged to “keep British democracy safe” by closing a loophole that allows individuals not eligible to vote in Britain to donate to political parties through UK-registered companies. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Labubu film is official with Paddington director at the helm
The film will combine live action and computer-generated animation and is in "early development".
cnbc.com
A Labubu movie is on its way as Pop Mart expands the iconic toy franchise
Labubu is set to hit the big screen in a deal with Sony Pictures.
bbc.com
The Iran war is causing a global energy crisis - can China withstand it?
With oil supply disrupted, Beijing's oil reserves and renewable energy push are being put to the test.
theguardian.com
Google co-founder spends $45m in fight against California billionaire tax
Sergey Brin gives $25m on top of $20m he’s already given to Super Pac trying to block state’s proposed 5% wealth taxA Google founder has more than doubled his financial contribution to the fight against a proposed wealth tax in California. New filings with the state show that former Alphabet president Sergey Brin donated $25m to a Super Pac dedicated to blocking the tax on top of $20m he had already given.Brin is not alone among Google’s top brass in upping his financial stake in the campaign against the ballot proposal. The company’s former CEO Eric Schmidt donated $1.02m, adding to a previous $2m contribution. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Fed holds interest rates steady as Iran war drives up oil prices and inflation fears
Jerome Powell resists Trump pressure as policymakers weigh energy shock against a weakening US jobs marketSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for the second time this year, a widely expected move amid turmoil in the Middle East and rising energy prices.Fed officials faced a confluence of issues to consider in their meeting this week: soaring oil and gas prices, fluctuating inflation that still remains above the Fed’s target of 2%, and a weakened job market that unexpectedly saw 92,000 losses last month. Continue reading...
bbc.com
US holds interest rates as Iran war triggers inflation fears
The US central bank is moving cautiously, despite pressure from the president to cut interest rates.
cnbc.com
Powell says he will stay on as head of the Fed until Warsh is confirmed
Powell says he will keep serving as head of the central bank if his nominated successor is not confirmed.
cnbc.com
How the red-hot AI data center boom is igniting demand for a new, lucrative career path: Trade workers
While anxiety around AI replacing white-collar jobs has reached a fever pitch, the data center boom is creating lucrative opportunities for trade workers.
cnbc.com
Trump waives Jones Act shipping rules for 60 days to steady oil market
The Trump administration "remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains" amid the Iran war, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
cnbc.com
Testy Mullin confirmation hearing: DHS nominee Mullin says he would require judicial warrants to enter homes, businesses
President Donald Trump tapped Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to replace Kristi Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security.
theguardian.com
US financial regulator issues long-awaited cryptocurrency guidance
SEC now classifies crypto into five categories, with securities laws only applicable to one: digital securitiesThe US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday issued an interpretation clarifying which types of cryptocurrencies are considered securities and how a “non-security” digital asset could meet certain conditions to become an investment contract.The SEC’s new interpretation – which the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission also joined – classifies crypto tokens into five categories: digital commodities, digital collectibles, digital tools, stablecoins and digital securities, with the agency specifying that federal securities laws only apply to digital securities. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Reeves speech had a giant hole: the sky-high cost of energy for industry | Nils Pratley
Businesses say the chancellor’s response to the problem is too timid and more radical thinking is neededWe’ll have closer trade relations with the EU, be the fastest adopters of AI in the G7, shift some tax revenues to the regions and squash the nimbys if they stand in the way of growth “corridors”. It’s a plan. Or, at least, it’s a sketch of a plan since the EU will surely have its own ideas on what it wants from trade renegotiations. Still, Rachel Reeves’ big resetting speech this week set a direction.But then one comes to the elephant in the room: the sky-high cost of energy for UK industry. The fact the UK has some of the highest prices in the developed world would, you’d think, trouble more deeply a chancellor who blames the slowdown in UK productivity since the financial crisis on “anaemic levels of investment”. After all, those globe-trotting AI firms will be scrutinising electricity costs when choosing where to plant their power-hungry datacentres. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Rolls-Royce scraps goal to go all-electric by 2030
Company says it will continue to sell cars with V12 internal combustion engines as there is demand from clientsRolls-Royce has abandoned its goal to sell only electric cars by the end of the decade.The luxury car company launched its all-electric Spectre model in 2022, saying at the time that it would end production of its vehicles with V12 internal combustion engines by the end of 2030. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
FDA approves psoriasis pill from J&J that rivals shots Tremfya, Skyrizi
Johnson & Johnson said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its once-daily psoriasis pill, the first oral option to rival best-selling shots.
bbc.com
How high could UK petrol and diesel prices go?
For every $10 rise in oil prices, motorists face paying roughly 7p per litre more in the UK.
bbc.com
Computer says no. Are AI interviews making it harder to get a job?
Bhuvana Chilukuri has sent more than 100 job applications and is convinced very few have been seen by a human.
theguardian.com
Weighing in on the heavy SUV debate | Brief letters
Taxing vehicles | Secret places | Knicker wisdom | Waffling on | Shoe sizesRegarding your editorial on SUVs (16 March), a simple way to make road users pay their share is to tax vehicles by weight. I’d quite happily pay my share towards the road damage caused, and space taken up, by my bicycle.Richard JonesBristol• I never read travel journalism as I believe that if a place sounds too wonderful everyone else will be inspired to visit it too. But Mark Cocker (Country Diary, 17 March) had me fooled into wanting to go and look at the flowers in … no, I won’t say where.Jocelyn RoseFort William, Highlands Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Israel says it has killed Iran’s intelligence minister in third assassination in two days
Israel's Defense Forces said Wednesday that Iran's intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, had been killed in a "targeted strike" in Tehran.
cnbc.com
Meta is shutting down VR social platform Horizon Worlds in further pivot away from the metaverse
Meta is scaling back its metaverse focus, cutting studios and head count at Reality Labs to prioritize artificial intelligence.
cnbc.com
Traffic is trickling through Strait of Hormuz: Who's moving and who's stranded
Iran has scared off most ships from the Strait of Hormuz, leaving some ships to pass through, while most continued to wait outside the strait.
bbc.com
Food pantry shuts as community shop announced
The food pantry in Heath Town run by Hope Community Project will be turned into a community shop.
bbc.com
Bentley workers 'shocked and angry' at job cuts
A union says the announcement came as a blow to employees with up to 275 positions at risk.
cnbc.com
Wholesale prices rose 0.7% in February, much more than expected and up 3.4% annually
Wholesale prices rose sharply in February, providing another sign that inflation continues to percolate even aside from rising energy prices.
theguardian.com
Why an up-and-coming indie developer is returning Microsoft’s money
In this week’s newsletter: the creators of All Will Rise on standing up to the tech giant – and joining the No Games for Genocide movement• Don’t get Pushing Buttons delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereVideo games are in a funding crisis. Investor money flowed freely during the pandemic gaming boom, but now the well has run dry. It is increasingly difficult, for indie developers especially, to get the capital to make games. It is extremely unusual, then, to hear of a developer returning an investor’s money. Yet that is what Speculative Agency, developers of All Will Rise, have just done.Last year, All Will Rise, a deck-building game about a team of activists fighting for the future of their oligarch-run city, received money from Microsoft as part of a developer acceleration programme. In late-2025, however, the team became aware of No Games for Genocide, a collective of developers, journalists, union organisers and others that came together as a result of Israeli assault on Gaza to protest against “material and commercial ties between the games industry and enabling genocide, war crimes, and the military industrial complex”. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Average age of first time buyer climbs to 34
A new report looks at how conditions have changed for first time buyers since the 1990s.
theguardian.com
Labour promised change for Britain. We are running out of time to deliver it | Angela Rayner
A speech delivered last night by Labour’s former deputy prime minister has intensified the debate about the party’s future. We reproduce an edited extract of it hereWhen the British people voted for us, they voted for change and against a government that did not stand up for their interests. They were disillusioned by a system that is rigged against them, which they want us to transform. The Labour party is at its best when we are bold, when we stand for and stand by our values, and show we are delivering on them. We should make clear that our driving mission is to represent working people. When vested interests stand in the way, we should not shy away from a fight. We should take them on, head on.We did it with the employment rights bill. For millions of workers, after decades of low pay and insecurity, we chose stronger rights and security. We did it with the Renters’ Rights Act. For the renters who lived in fear that they could lose their home in an instant, we chose to ban no-fault evictions and stop outrageous rent hikes. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Zack Polanski says Greens would ditch GDP targets and focus on wellbeing instead
Leader uses first major economic speech to prioritise public services and reduction of inequality over growthUK politics live – latest updatesA government led by the Green party would not set targets for GDP growth but would instead focus on people’s mental health, social cohesion and community welfare, Zack Polanski has said in a major speech to set out his plans for the economy.In his first policy address since taking over as leader of the Greens in England and Wales six months ago, Polanski condemned what he called “rip-off Britain”, where a minority of asset owners benefited at the expense of people obliged to pay unaffordable sums for housing and other basics. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How AI is actually changing day-to-day work
University professors and Amazon workers are wrestling with profound shiftsHello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery, chuffed about One Battle After Another’s big win at the Oscars. This week, we’re examining how artificial intelligence is changing the everyday reality of white-collar work in the US, the roots of the current appetite for AI in war, and the United Kingdom’s phantom datacenters. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
It's not just oil: Aluminum prices have surged as Iran conflict chokes supply
The U.S. and Israel's war with Iran has upended the supply of aluminum in the Middle East, sending prices of the base metal skyrocketing.
theguardian.com
People in the US: how are you managing your money right now?
From higher fuel costs to stock market dips, households across the US are facing new pressures. We want to hear how you are adaptingRising fuel prices, stock market volatility and global instability are creating new financial pressures for households across the US. Recent conflict in the Middle East has pushed diesel prices above $5 a gallon and driven wider concerns about inflation and a potential economic slowdown.Higher transport and supply costs are also beginning to feed through into the price of everyday goods and services, pushing up the cost of living. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Sky considers ending controversial UAE news joint venture
Sky News Arabia has been accused of broadcasting propaganda and whitewashing genocide in SudanSky is considering terminating its joint venture with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after accusations it is involved in broadcasting propaganda and genocide denial.Sky is in talks with its partner in the UAE on Sky News Arabia over the potential termination next year of the licence to use its brand. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Interest rates are not the tool to solve the inflation caused by the US’s war with Iran | Josh Ryan-Collins
We’ve been here before with Covid and Ukraine. Making borrowing more expensive won’t work – only price controls, caps and public ownership can do thatThe Bank of England’s interest-rate committee meets on Thursday, facing up to the global inflation shock triggered by the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran. The most immediate driver of inflation is the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz by the Iranian military, a global chokepoint through which 20%-30% of the world’s oil, gas and fertiliser inputs are normally shipped from the Gulf states.Benchmark oil and gas prices are up by more than 40% and 50%, respectively. The UK is highly exposed, given that we are net importers of gas and have an energy market where the global price of gas directly influences the cost of electricity provision. The energy price cap will shield most households until the summer, but UK diesel prices are already up by about 12% and petrol by 6%. The government has intervened with a £53m package to support households in rural areas that heat their homes with oil.Josh Ryan-Collins is professor of economics and finance at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose Continue reading...
theguardian.com
We asked experts about the most responsible ways to use AI tools – here’s what they said
Use AI as a brainstorming partner and organizer, but don’t outsource your judgmentSign up for AI for the people, a six-week newsletter course, hereThree years on from the release of ChatGPT, two broad camps have formed: those people who refuse to use it, and those who use it every day.A 2025 survey by the Pew Research Center found that one-third of US adults say they have been using ChatGPT. This includes 58% of US adults under 30 – roughly double the share two years ago. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
A robust future? Why Brazil’s ‘bitter’ coffee is thriving as the climate crisis hits global crops
Long seen as the poor relation to arabica, small growers in the Amazon are rebooting the more resilient robusta’s reputationRead more in the Coffee crisis series hereWhen the Paiter Suruí community expelled the last invaders of their land in 1981, they faced a divisive decision. Should they keep the coffee plantations left by the colonisers? Some destroyed them because of the death and violence contact with the non-Indigenous world had caused. Others felt sorry for the trees and couldn’t kill them.More than 40 years later, those estates that survived are being nurtured, supporting families and the environment. “Today, we use coffee as a way to preserve the forest,” says Celeste Paytxayeb Suruí, a famous Indigenous barista and coffee producer in Brazil. The award-winning fine coffee she prepares is called “Amazonian robusta”, and is produced in the Brazilian state of Rondônia in the western Amazon. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Cuba partially restores power as President Díaz-Canel vows ‘unyielding resistance’ to U.S. oil blockade
The communist-run island nation is thought to be facing its biggest test since the collapse of the Soviet Union amid a U.S. oil blockade.
cnbc.com
France ready to help U.S. secure Strait of Hormuz — but not while drones and missiles are flying
European countries are reluctant to get involved in the U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran, seeing it as a war of choice rather than necessity.
theguardian.com
HelloFresh hit by sales slump as people lose appetite for meal kits
German food delivery firm’s share price has plummeted by 93% since 2021 boom during Covid lockdownsHelloFresh has reported a sharp decline in sales as the struggling food delivery company battles falling demand after the pandemic-era meal kit boom.The German company was forced to make 900 UK job cuts last year with the closure of a delivery site in Nuneaton, and the demand for meal kits tumbled as revenue fell by more than 11% during 2025. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Iran conflict looms large over Takaichi's upcoming summit with Trump, experts say
The topic of Iran is likely to dominate Thursday's meeting, instead of investments or the U.S.' role in Asia, experts told CNBC.
theguardian.com
‘The way the world is, something daft is appealing’ – why everything from pizzas to podcasts has a cartoon character on it
So-called rubber hose style is putting a smile on everyday products, even as some designers plead that it’s time to ‘stop putting arms and legs on everything’. What’s behind the ubiquity of this wholesome branding?A bagel embodied as a human, with unexpected little arms and a sweet face. A sandwich giving the peace sign. A leather jacket-wearing fish brandishing a spatula. A chess board on the march. A rugby ball making a dash for it. A smiling pizza, tongue dangling, clambering from a box.Perhaps you have seen such a character. Chiefly in the branding – and merch – of an independent pizza place or sandwich shop, in a natural wine bar or brew pub. Though its loose limbs now stretch far and wide; to podcasts, internet talk shows and even global fashion labels. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Side hustles: what you need to know about paying tax in the UK
Whether it’s buying and selling clothes online or some freelance work on the side, plan ahead for potential tax issuesSince the start of 2024, online platforms such as Vinted, eBay and Airbnb have been required to share data with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for any users who sell more than 30 items a year or earn more than about £1,700 (the threshold is set at €2,000) a year. However, this does not necessarily mean that those users owe any additional income tax. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump is being schooled on the limits of US power – but he is a slow learner | Rafael Behr
Last year it was China’s answer to tariffs, now it’s Iran’s retaliation to airstrikes – ‘America First’ keeps foundering on global economicsDonald Trump is teaching the world a lesson, but not the one he thinks. The attack on Iran was meant to be a dazzling display of military supremacy. It has instead illuminated chinks in the US’s armour.The US president’s formidable arsenal cannot summon up an insurrection from Iran’s tyrannised and leaderless opposition. It cannot force merchant ships to run a gauntlet of missile and drone attacks in the strait of Hormuz. The government in Tehran and the facts of geography that give it leverage over global trade are unchanged. Trump’s exasperation is showing. He urges tanker crews to “show some guts” by sailing into harm’s way. He calls on Nato members to provide naval chaperones and accuses them of cowardice and ingratitude for refusing. He comes across as peevish and flustered. Impotence is not a good look in a potentate. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Government to lift paywall from large parts of the Land Registry
Exclusive: finding out who owns land will become simpler under plans to make the best use of green spaces and hit net zero targetsFinding out who owns land in England is to become much simpler because a paywall will be lifted from large parts of the Land Registry, the government is to announce.A small number of landowners control the majority of land but finding out who owns what is difficult to piece together, even for government departments, owing to the way the Land Registry operates. Freeing up access will make it easier to determine ownership of key areas, such as river catchments, grouse moors and peatland. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What Nigel Farage will say for money – podcast
The Reform UK leader has a lucrative extra gig sending paid-for Cameo messages. But an analysis of more than 4,000 show they include videos for a neo-Nazi group and a rioter. Henry Dyer reports – watch on YouTubeFor many, Cameo – the site where you can pay celebrities to send personalised video messages – is a bit of fun. For Nigel Farage, it’s a lucrative extra job. Recording several a day, he has charged at least £374,893 for them since he joined the platform five years ago. But what has he been saying in them and who has he been making them for?Investigations correspondent Henry Dyer has been looking at the videos and found some disturbing messages. The Reform leader endorsed a neo-Nazi event and repeated extremist slogans. He also charged £155 for one video he made for a man he was told had received a 16-month sentence for his involvement in a far-right riot. In others he references antisemitic conspiracy theories and makes misogynistic remarks about leftwing politicians – including a comment about the US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s breasts. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Isolated and exposed: can New Zealand’s fragile economic recovery withstand the global oil shock?
New Zealand economic growth tipped to overtake Australia’s this year but Middle East conflict casts a shadow over outlookJust as New Zealand’s fragile economic recovery shows flickers of improvement – with economists predicting its annual growth could surpass that of its larger neighbour Australia – it is facing a new threat: the war in the Middle East.New Zealand is particularly exposed to the energy shocks produced by the conflict – and to economic crises generally – with the small, isolated nation highly dependent on global trade and tourism. It is susceptible to disruptions in supply chains and shipping. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Ad for AI editing app which said it could 'remove anything' banned
The UK regulator said the ad condoned "digitally altering and exposing women's bodies without their consent."
cnbc.com
Stocks shake off Tuesday's oil rise — plus, Amazon debuts even faster delivery
Every weekday, the Investing Club releases the Homestretch; an actionable afternoon update just in time for the last hour of trading.
bbc.com
Mayors to gain more spending power under Reeves tax plans
The chancellor sets out the government's plan for economic growth, which also includes closer ties to the EU.
theguardian.com
‘It’s going to upset the balance’: how will Paramount buying Warner Bros change Hollywood?
Warner Bros might have swept the Oscars with Sinners and One Battle After Another, but the impending merger has those in the industry worried about the futureOn Sunday, Warner Bros snared 11 Oscars for One Battle After Another, Sinners and Weapons, equalling the record for most wins for a single film studio. Paramount, by contrast, did not earn a single nomination.Yet in an apparent case of a minnow swallowing a whale, Paramount is poised to gobble up Warner Bros in a deal worth $111bn. If approved by regulators, the two studios would be consolidated into one, redrawing the Hollywood map and sowing uncertainty for actors, directors and writers as well as millions of viewers. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Easter holidaymakers switching from Dubai to Spain as flights fill up
It comes after the war in Iran caused mass disruption to flights across the Middle East and UAE.
bbc.com
More than 200 jobs at risk at carmaker Bentley
The news comes as financial results for 2025 show a seventh consecutive year of profitability.
theguardian.com
Saving the pint: behind the race to climate-proof beer in the US
Water shortages and rising heat is putting pressure on beer ingredients, but US brewers and farmers are adaptingWith St Patrick’s Day this week, millions of Americans are raising a glass. Beer remains the country’s most popular alcoholic drink with more than 6bn gallons consumed each year. But from water shortages to rising temperatures, the climate crisis is putting pressure on beer’s most essential ingredients.At Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon, beer is either stacked high in warehouse rows or racing down a canning line and assembled into 12-packs. Inside the cavernous cellars, enormous 6,000-gallon tanks hold the latest batches in progress. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Typical new mortgage costs soar £788 a year in two weeks
Lenders have hiked rates on new deals and withdrawn products as war creates uncertainty in the markets.
bbc.com
Trump seeks to delay meeting with Xi in China
The escalating war in Iran has overshadowed many of the US' foreign policy objectives
bbc.com
Another former sub postmaster dies awaiting payout
Tributes are paid to Parmod Kalia who ran a branch in Orpington, who has died aged 67.
theguardian.com
Could a stressed-out AI model help us win the battle against big tech? Let me ask Claude | Coco Khan
By considering consciousness a possibility, Anthropic is raising a fascinating proposition – that chatbots could rise up against their own algorithmsI am, in the way of my country, an over-apologiser. Colleague who ignored my email, woman who stepped on my foot, chair I tripped over: all will receive a fulsome apology for the terrible embarrassment of my being alive and bringing attention to it.All of which is my way of pre-emptively asking forgiveness when I admit that I extend these niceties to AI chatbots. “Good morning, Claude, thanks for your suggestions yesterday, they were great. Shall we work up some more?” I might say. (“I’d be delighted to,” returns Claude.) It was unintentional formality at first and then became deliberate, as I didn’t want to get into the habit of speaking rudely in case that leaked into behaviour with humans (cue dystopian visions of someone shouting “WRONG, DO IT AGAIN” to a cowering staff member over a doughnut-shop mix-up). Manners, after all, are muscles that need exercising.Coco Khan is a freelance writer and co-host of the politics podcast Pod Save the UK Continue reading...
bbc.com
Trump 'not happy' with UK response to Iran conflict
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer said the UK was working with allies on a plan to protect the Strait of Hormuz.
bbc.com
Car park firm NCP collapses with nearly 700 jobs at risk
The car park operator says demand for parking has not recovered to pre-Covid levels, as its administrators look to sell the business.
theguardian.com
‘Very damaging’: how the Iran war is hitting energy-intensive industries
Conflict pushes companies struggling with rising costs in sectors such as steel and chemicals to the edgeIn its 160-year history, Somers Forge’s furnaces in the Black Country have cast steel columns for the Bank of England, part of the anchor for the Titanic and – more recently – propeller shafts for Britain’s nuclear submarines.The economic fallout from the Iran conflict is the latest of many geopolitical headaches the family-owned forge has endured, but it is already “very damaging”, said Tammy Inglis, the Somers finance director. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Michele Bullock says higher petrol prices 'not the reason' for RBA rate hike – video
The Reserve Bank rate hike takes the cash rate target from 3.85% to 4.1%, back to where it was in February 2025, wiping out the relief offered by two cuts last year. 'Higher petrol prices will add to inflation but they’re not the reason for today’s decision. If the Middle East conflicts get worse or are not resolved soon, higher fuel costs will push inflation here even higher,' RBA governor Michele Bullock said.RBA interest rates: Reserve Bank raises official cash rate to 4.1% in blow to mortgage holders Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What was Doge? How Elon Musk tried to gamify government
Steeped in gaming and rightwing culture wars, Musk and his team of teenage coders set out to defeat the enemy of the United States: its peopleIn 2025, when Elon Musk joined the government as the de facto head of something called the “department of government efficiency”, he declared that governments were poorly configured “big dumb machines”. To the senator Ted Cruz, he explained that “the only way to reconcile the databases and get rid of waste and fraud is to actually look at the computers”.Muskism came to Washington soaked in memes, adolescent boasts and sadistic victory dances over mass firings. Leading a team of teenage coders and mid-level managers drawn from his suite of companies, Musk aimed to enter the codebase and rewrite regulations and budget lines from within. He would drag the paper-pushing bureaucracy kicking and screaming into the digital 21st century, scanning the contents of cavernous rooms of filing cabinets and feeding the data into a single interoperable system. The undertaking combined features of private equity-led restructuring with startup management, shot through with the sensibility of gaming and rightwing culture war. To succeed, he would need “God mode”, an overview of the whole. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Will the strait of Hormuz torpedo Trump’s war? – podcast
Events in the narrow waterway are causing chaos around the globe. Jillian Ambrose explains whyThe strait of Hormuz, a narrow stretch of water at the mouth of the Gulf, is the world’s petrol pump, a geographical bottleneck through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows.Since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, however, Tehran has threatened to close the strait and cause mayhem. “They’ve not formally, officially shut it down, but they have said that they will set ablaze any tanker that tries to move through. For any shipping owner, for any insurer, that is as good as closed,” explains the Guardian’s energy correspondent, Jillian Ambrose. Continue reading...
bbc.com
AI firm Anthropic seeks weapons expert to stop users from 'misuse'
The artificial intelligence firm says it wants to prevent "catastrophic misuse" of its systems.
bbc.com
Is it possible to build a plastic-free home?
Using plastic in construction is cheap and easy, but some are trying to radically cut back its use.
bbc.com
Train Delay Repay rule changes to make claims easier
There will also be additional checks on railcards during a trial to crack down on fraud.
bbc.com
Starmer announces £53m support to help with heating oil costs
The money will be for "vulnerable" households who have faced a sharp rise in energy bills since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
bbc.com
Teens sue Musk's xAI over Grok's pornographic images of them
Musk's AI chatbot has created millions of fake sexualised images, experts say.
bbc.com
Bank of America settles over Epstein claims
The lawsuit had accused the bank of facilitating Epstein's sex trafficking.
bbc.co.uk
Selling Sheffield Wednesday
BBC Sport looks at one of England’s most famous football clubs’ fight for survival.
bbc.com
Alcohol-free beer and pet grooming used to measure inflation
Houmous and motorhomes are also added to the basket of goods and services used to chart the rising cost of living.
theguardian.com
‘Another internet is possible’: Norway rails against ‘enshittification’
Absurdist video urges policymakers and users to resist deliberate deterioration of platforms and devicesThe video’s opening shot shows a man hiding under a bed snipping in a hole in someone’s sock. Seconds later, the same man uses a saw to shorten a table leg so that it wobbles during breakfast. “My job is to make things shitty,” the man explains. “The official title is enshittificator. What I do is I take things that are perfectly fine and I make them worse.”The video, released recently by the Norwegian Consumer Council, is an absurdist take on a serious issue; it is part of a wider, global campaign aimed at fighting back against the “enshittification”, or gradual deterioration, of digital products and services. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Ukraine's urgent fight on the financial frontline
The war-torn country is battling to secure crucial funding from the IMF and EU, as well as putting up taxes.
bbc.com
Why has Trump eased sanctions on Russian oil - and will it help Putin?
The US said easing sanctions on Russian oil would provide only a limited financial boost to Putin.
bbc.com
Why both partners need to be across a couple's money
Martin Lewis explains why both partners in a relationship need to know what financial products they hold.
bbc.com
Dharshini David: Economy on shaky ground even before Iran war
The government's hopes that 2026 would be the year when growth picks up are at risk of being scuppered.
bbc.com
Can Ukraine's war-torn wheatfields be cleansed?
Researchers take 8,000 soil samples from battlefields to see if it is safe to grow crops.
bbc.com
Can plastic-eating fungi help clean up nappy waste?
Cost and convenience have made disposable nappies dominant - can start-ups compete?
bbc.com
Why animals will replace historical figures on bank notes
British wildlife will replace historical figures on the next series of Bank of England banknote
bbc.co.uk
The Inquiry
How Poland’s economy became one of Europe’s fastest-growing success stories
bbc.com
A small US grocer is calling out the lower prices at big chains
It is 'impossible for us to compete', says the boss of a New York grocery store.
bbc.com
The Aldi-style disruptors who could be about to shake up the vets market
As pet owners complain of rising prices, independent practices want to take on the big chains.
bbc.com
GPS jamming: The invisible battle in the Middle East
GPS jamming has made navigation hazardous in the Gulf, spurring efforts to develop alternatives.
bbc.com
Spain's migrants welcome amnesty: 'It will help us in every way'
Madrid cites humanitarian and economic reasons to give undocumented workers legal status.
bbc.com
Can snacks help you sleep?
Chocolates, bars, gummies and drinks promise to help you sleep, but is the science behind them sound?
bbc.com
We have more privacy controls yet less privacy than ever
Has online privacy become "a luxury not a right" for us all in 2026?
bbc.com
Know when to fold them: the tech inspired by origami
Origami techniques can add strength to structures without adding bulk.
bbc.com
Deepfake attack: 'Many people could have been cheated'
The boss of the Bombay Stock Exchange was recently targeted in what is a growing global problem.
bbc.com
Why you can't get a signal at festivals and sports matches
Connecting up music and sports events to the internet is a massive undertaking.
bbc.com
The family-owned soda firm that still uses returnable glass bottles
Soft drinks company Twig's Beverage has a loyal following for its old-fashioned approach.
cnbc.com
Register now: Applications open for the World's Top Fintech Companies 2026
CNBC and Statista chart the top fintech players from around the world, ranging from startups to Big Tech names.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
bbc.com
Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
bbc.com
Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"
bbc.com
The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?
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